Lacrosse is gaining in popularity

By Lauren GuzaldHigh School Student

Shown are Sienna Plantation’s Panthers Lacrosse Club members.

Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in Texas and the oldest sport in North America. It was played by Native Americans across much of the continent since before Columbus. Today, the sight of children sprinting across green fields cradling lacrosse sticks is not an uncommon one, especially not in local Sienna Plantation, and certainly not to head coach and co-founder of the Panthers Lacrosse Club, Glenn Reitman.

According to Reitman “Lacrosse is growing quickly in Texas because it’s fast paced, exciting, and is a lot of fun.” Others have commented that due the athleticism required, it is attracting some of the best junior athletes in the area. The Sienna Panthers Club is one of the most rapidly expanding clubs in the state with over 200 players including a newly formed girl’s team. The league is run entirely by devoted volunteers consisting of 30 coaches and three administrators who work hard to ensure that the league runs smoothly and that it provides an excellent experience for the players.

In addition to the fun and excitement Lacrosse fosters, it creates other opportunities in the form of college scholarships and even professional careers. One of the best aspects of the Club is that it encourages its players and families to be involved in the “lacrosse family”. This fosters a sense of unity, community, and instills in the players a sense of honor, pride, sportsmanship and hard work. When you combine the excitement and challenges of the sport with the care and devotion being poured into it, one can readily appreciate why so many families fall in love with the sport.